CHARLIE Austin has revealed that it was shear luck that saw him realise his rags to riches football dream.

The former bricklayer and non-league striker made a £4m move to Saints earlier this month from QPR and scored a late winning goal at Manchester United on a dream debut.

But it certainly hasn’t been the orthodox tale of academy to first-team for Austin.

In fact, the 26-year-old had turned his back on the professional game and was rediscovering the enjoyment of playing at a non-league level when Danny Wilson, the then Swindon Town manager, discovered a gem.

Shown the door at Reading as a 15-year-old, he went onto play for Kintbury Rangers in the 11th tier of the football pyramid.

His ambitions of making it as a professional were, in his eyes, over at the age of 16.

A knee ligament injury then saw a potential move to Swindon breakdown and Austin went onto play for Hungerford Town instead.

Then came the beginnings of his rise, but not before another setback.

A move to Bournemouth with his family where he continued to work for the family business, Austin Brickworks, saw him join local Wessex League outfit Poole Town.

He scored prolifically for the Dolphins, netting 48 times in just 42 appearances.

Eddie Howe, the Bournemouth manager, took Austin on trial for six weeks after he'd scored against Cherries in a pre-season friendly.

As was a familiar trend for Austin at that point, it was a case of so close, yet so far, as Howe was unable to sign him due to a transfer ban at Dean Court.

Although that door slammed shut, another opened as Wilson snapped him up for League One Swindon after seeing him in a game against Bournemouth Poppies.

“It’s all about getting the chance and be in the right place at the right time,” Austin said. “People can be there scoring goals and no one get noticed.

“For me, I was lucky, I was in a good place at Poole and Bournemouth were round the corner.

“That gave me a stepping stone.”

The rest is history as Austin went onto to score 35 goals in 63 games for Swindon and secure a move to Burnley in the Championship.

At Turf Moor, he netted 44 times in around 90 appearance and then moved to QPR where he finally got his punt at the Premier League.

He didn't disappoint, either, scoring 18 times in first term in the top-flight.

The likes of Jamies Vardy, the Leicester hotshot, and Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, have also trudged the non-league trail before breaking into the big time.

And Austin insists that if you have the belief, it is possible to follow the path he and few others, like Vardy and Smalling, have followed.

“It’s good to have the non-league ticking over like that and there are obviously players in there – as has been shown,” he said.

“But, for me, I feel like if you believe you’re good enough, then you’ll make it.”